A Fairytale is a Metaphor
by Madame Zashley
Summary: Apple Whitaker and Raven Quinn: two perfect princesses in a close-minded utopia. A brief, "normal-verse" AU that explores how Ever After High would adapt as a story that covers sexuality and gender identity. Ashlynnxfem!Hunter, Daringxmale!Lizzie, hints at ApplexRaven, future pairings of various canonical evidence/lack thereof. Rated T for language.
1. Apple's Princess

Apple Whitaker

They say that our city of Everest is one of few modern-day utopias. The air is clean, family values are strongly upheld, and the urban streets are bustling with happy, cordial people. The atmosphere isn't like any place you'd find within several hundred miles- maybe even the world. Here, everything sparkles crisply like a newly-found fairytale, and everything can be described just like it would be in a world of fantasy. Some boys are like knights in shining armor, dashing princes, lovable huntsmen, or highly intelligent eggheads. Some girls are like lovely princesses, damsels in distress, puppets bound to their strings, or wicked sorceresses.

And in this little world that my family calls Everest, I am the future queen. The "perfect" one. I am the girl who everybody knows. My family runs the business that made this beautiful city, and as such, I am expected to carry on as its bold, beautiful heir. This is something I am more that happy with.

When I was only an elementary schoolgirl- Apple Whitaker, age eight- I distinctly remember walking into the Enchanted Park, so named for the near-fantastic feel provided by the well-arranged variety of flowers. In the center, there was a huge, marbled fountain topped with a statue of the Gregory Brothers, founders of the city. That fateful day was one in deep winter, and I had run from my house in hopes of finding some level of adventure. Call it a child's whims if you must. Nonetheless, as I observed the statue in awe, I felt someone push me forward, and suddenly I landed face-first in ice-cold fountain water.

I was sent into a panic, screaming and crying as my head finally popped up from the surface of the pool. I tried to climb out, but the walls of the fountain were too tall, the water too deep. In my frenzied cry, I hardly caught the answer to my loud pleas.

"Take my hand!"

And readily, I obeyed, grasping the reaching hand that was nearly as pale as my own in the chill air of the coldest season. It took a few tries, but I wasn't ready to give up, and with the help of the friendly stranger on the other side, I was able to hop back onto dry, solid concrete. I was left shivering, my blurry vision becoming a bit clearer as I blinked away tears. My glasses, it seemed, had fallen off at some point during my frightening experience. However, that didn't stop me from being able to make out the basic, moonlit features of the person before me.

He was about my age with a pale complexion and a height quite a bit greater than mine. His night-black hair was tousled, most of his face wrapped up in winter gear. I could even spot the color of his eyes after looking for long enough- a very vibrant blue, almost violet.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded my head slowly, still whimpering.

"Where's your home?"

Still shaking and clutching my sopping wet cardigan around me, I told him my address, which my parents had made me memorize in case of emergencies. To my surprise, he offered to walk me home. He even told me to take off my jacket so that I could wear his. It didn't do much considering my wet shirt and winter bottoms were still dripping with water in the freezing air, but looking back on it, I can stand to appreciate the gesture.

We talked for most of the way home. His name was Ryland Quinn, and he lived in the Quinn manor along with his father. Like me, Ryland came from a wealthy family, but unlike my family- as I would later learn- his family was often looked down upon for while I'll simply address as political differences.

We met up almost every day after that. I would sneak out after my school day finished and head to the park. Afterwards, I would wait a few minutes for him, since his school always let out a few minutes after mine. Together, we mostly talked. If Darian Charm- later discovered to be the bully who pushed me into the fountain- came along, Ryland would scare him off. One day, we agreed to bring a few supplies. I brought poster board paper, and he brought an extensive collection of colored pencils. On that day, we created the fairytale world.

The fairytale world was what Everest looked like through our eyes. We set up a hierarchy. Ryland and I were, of course, the children of royalty. I was a princess, along with my friends Ash and Bri. Another one of my friends- who we all called Blondie, though that wasn't her real name- wasn't the heir to any business, but I let her be a princess in my mind, too. Ryland had friends of his own, and he was much more imaginative with their roles. Maddie was someone from another world who loved to offer tea. Cedra was a beautiful living doll with a mission. Char looked like a normal girl, but she was secretly the big, bad wolf.

I, of course, was a princess. In fact, I was the most important of all of the princesses since I was the co-founder of our hierarchy project. Ryland was also high royalty, but he also had dark magical powers.

What surprised me the most wasn't Ryland's affinity for magic. It was how he didn't describe himself as a prince. Instead, he described himself as a _princess_.

"A princess?" I had asked, confused. "But you're not a girl."

"Well, why _can't_ I be a girl?" Ryland asked in a genuine tone.

"Because...because you're a _boy_," I retorted in my oh-so-excellent, third-grade logic.

We hung out for a few minutes after that, but I could tell that there were questions left unanswered. In fact, I was so confused that I had asked my parents that night if a boy could become a girl. At that statement, they seemed extremely worried, refusing to answer me and not allowing me to leave without giving a deeper explanation. In the end, I spilled everything about my encounters with Ryland.

The next day, my parents kept stricter watch on me. My mother drove up to the school to pick me up herself instead of having me ride the bus home to the relaxed maid who hadn't particularly minded if I was a little late. I was forbidden from the Enchanted Park. I didn't see Ryland for the next six years.

* * *

><p>Then came the marker of my first day of sophomore year. I didn't try to pull anything particularly fancy- I just kept to my favorite red blouse with the complimenting cream cardigan and left my light blonde hair in a loose half-ponytail.<p>

Luckily, all of my friends were in my first period, and I was all to eager to sit with them before we actually had our seats assigned.

Ash Ellsworth was as beautiful as ever with her forest green eyes and light auburn hair pulled back into a high ponytail. A light blue, layered tank-top went well with a floral brooch. Bri Beaumont was still a spark in the dark with her bright pink contacts and messily-styled brown hair streaked with hot pink. Her clothes were just as bright as her eyes with elaborate black patterns marking her candy pink attire. Blondie Lochlan certainly lived up to the nickname she had persistently maintained, with lovely-yet-uncontrollable, light blonde locks fronted by a set of evenly-cut bangs falling into her pure blue eyes. A bubbly, modest, blue-and-gold wardrobe proved to remain just right for her.

We were instantly a group again, readily chatting about all of the great things we did over the summer. None of us, it seemed, had changed a bit; we were the same tight crew of sisters. We continued to talk among our small group until Blondie lightly elbowed me. Following her gaze, I saw another student enter the classroom.

Raven Quinn.

I can't say that I didn't know much of Raven. In fact, I had learned all that anyone seemed to know of her early on last year. Practically on the first day, Raven had confessed to me: _Apple, it's me. It's...Ryland. I'm Raven, now._

I regret being able to truthfully say this now, but...in my tension at that revelation, I had laughed. We hadn't spoken since.

And now, even after we had been attending the same school for a year, I hadn't spoken to her. Unlike my many good friends, Raven had changed quite a bit over the summer break. Her hair was longer and streaked with a wild purple that complimented the near-violet of her vibrant blue eyes. Her features seemed softer, her body...just _different_ overall. She still reminded me of something from long ago, however. A sorceress. A princess.

Even as her eyes caught mine, I quickly looked away in sheepishness and discomfort at the situation. No amount of discomfort, however, could change the math teacher's later decision to have us sit across from each other at the same table as our seating arrangement. We fell into a cycle. We would accidentally catch each others' gazes, stare for a moment, and the look away as if we hadn't noted the other's existence. It happened again and again.

Sure, we started speaking eventually. Strictly for mathematical reasons at first, but later for other reasons. We had at least three periods together. Our lunch spots slowly grew closer. Something strange was happening. What's worse is that I started feeling something whenever I was around her. Physically, she wasn't unattractive. The raven hair that matched her chosen namesake cascaded down in subtle, silky waves. Her eyes were still enchanting, perhaps even captivating. This couldn't be right.

"Lesbian". "Transgender". These were words that I had only heard in my own household when my parents had decided I was old enough to hear them complain about those they considered "traditionless" and "wrong". Even in school, these words had no definition to me until I was in eighth grade, at which point everyone in my school seemed to be disgusted by the terms. Hell, most of my _city_ seemed to loathe the thought.

If Raven Quinn was a girl, and I liked her...what did that make me? In my torrid wondering, I suppose I thought that maybe- just maybe- if Raven were Ryland again, it would be okay for me to fall in love with him and and Ryland would be accepted in society and everything would be just fine. But was that a thing I could do? Could I "fix" Raven Quinn?

All I knew- or all I _thought_ I knew, at least- was that I had to try.

* * *

><p>There proved to be many more "traditionless" students throughout the school than I had readily anticipated. Raven proved to be at the center of this band of misfits, particularly after accidentally outing herself to the whole school so early on in the year, but she was not alone. Maddie Hatt, Raven's best friend, was actually straight and cisgendered, though she was openly supportive of the many students in the school who didn't fit that mold.<p>

First was Cedra Pine, an aromantic asexual with no interest in anything beyond platonic relationships. Now, this may not sound so bad to those who don't understand how Everest works. In Everest, there is a simple formula for life: boy marries girl. Girl marries boy. Staying single forever isn't such a bad thing, but the adults here _hate_ it. Nonetheless, most just don't take Cedra's claim seriously.

Next, there was Charles Lune. Charles was, simply put, genderfluid and would often go by Char simply to avoid a gender-charged name. Most knew Char's female form, so this was the one Char commonly went to school with, hiding whatever biological male features there were. On the other hand, when Char finally did present a male form, no one took the presentation seriously.

There was also Huntelle Hunter. Huntelle was the school's only open lesbian and seemed to be rather used to taking crud for it, though she honestly didn't seem to care.

Sparrow Lune, a distant relative of Char's, also belonged loosely to the group. He was a transgender male, though no one caught onto this for a very long time. For the most part, his obnoxious attitude had heavily outweighed whatever inherit disgust most of us held toward his "traditionless" trait.

Catherine Chess was always rather ambiguous about her sexuality. Whenever someone would ask, she would decline to give a concrete answer. When she finally revealed herself to be pansexual, however, no one was truly surprised.

C.A. Cooper was a transfer student form another town with much looser views. Though little was known about his own sexuality, he was always supportive of everyone's "true loves", as he put it.

Poppy Harrison is a bit of a special case. In short, she was the only one who could actually get away with choosing her gender identity sans ridicule due to having been born biologically intersex.

No one could figure out just what was _up_ with Rosa Beaumont or Darla Charm, though they seemed to be covert members of the group as well.

Honestly, I wasn't certain as to whether or not I would be able to "fix" all of these rebellious students. After a while, I'd forgotten exactly why I was doing it. My reasons returned to me after a gargantuan incident involving one of my closest friends.

Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself. That's a story I can wait to tell.

For now, I had an old friend to assist.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: This is an idea that has been stemming from me for a while, taking EAH into account as a metaphor for acceptance of sexuality and gender identity. This is, obviously, an AU. This story is merely a description of an interpretation as opposed to a full story, which is why it isn't very atmospherically detailed. I do not plan to add further chapters in this style unless a truly interesting development is made in the EAH-verse that I can adapt to this interpretation. If there is enough request, I may go into further detail with a new story that covers the same universe but actually follows a fully-described atmosphere and unique plotline. By no means is this tale meant to offend anyone regardless of viewpoint in regards to sexuality and gender identity, and by no means do my personal views reflect the mindset of any PoV characters.<strong>

**EAH and the respective characters belong to Mattel, along with the plotline involving Ashlynn/Ash and Hunter/Huntelle. I created their "normal-verse" names.**

**Thank you for reading! R&R if your True Heart desires.**

**Edit: As you can see, this story is no longer a one-shot.**


	2. Darian's Challenge

Darian Charm

It's not always easy, being the most attractive teen in all of Everest High- and, by extension, all of Everest itself, considering there's only one high school. It takes an hour of time in front of the mirror the Charm manor's single restroom each morning, taking care to ignore your two younger siblings as they pound on the door for access. However, let it not be said that I ever fail to complete in my duty of total sexiness. For all of my sacrifice, I am the most beautiful student by an absolute landslide, outweighing even the school's females in bodily charm. It's all a part of living up to the family name, of course.

I really do think it's my irresistible charm that helped me win the Steinhart boy's heart on that well-remembered day.

Sparrow Lune had just challenged me to a spoon-on-the-nose challenge in the MochaLotta Cafe. My spoon-balancing skills proved to be superior, as I kept the cusp of the plastic utensil on the end of my nose for several seconds longer than the obnoxious, wannabe-rocker red-head sitting beside me.

"Come on, Sparrow. We all know that I am the patron saint of plastic-spoon-balancers. Give me a _real_ challenge," I said, speaking the phrase almost like a challenge of its own.

Sparrow scoffed, flashing a smirk at me. "Sure, sure. Fine. I bet that you can't woo over the next person who walks in that door." The green-eyed teen pointed a thumb at the cafe entrance behind him.

"Oh! You. Are. _On_," I replied, resisting the urge to pull out my hand-mirror right then and there. If I was going to be doing any wooing-over, I had to make certain I was looking good- then again, having to look would have admitted the slightest doubt, at least in my own mind. Sparrow and I were leaning toward each other now, heated gazes locked in assurance of the challenge. "Uh, what are we betting?"

Hector Cookson snapped his fingers, catching both of our attention as we looked over at our befreckled classmate. "I've got an idea," he announced. "How about loser has to wash the winner's gym clothes- _after the swamp field trip_?"

Sparrow and I both shivered a bit, making clear signs of disgust. In this communication, we both knew that this was the perfect consequence.

The bell of the opened door rung, and instantly I turned my head. There stood a boy with black hair containing red-dyed streaks; a single, heart-shaped earring; and big, blue eyes. Red Steinhart, one of a few transfer students from Wonder Gardens. Wonder Gardens was a subset of Everest that had contained the only other school in the city, though most evacuated after a dangerous disease hit the neighborhood. Since then, the area had been quarantined and escapees had adjusted to life in other neighborhoods. Red himself was notorious as a haughty loner who no one could seem to make sense of. He also happened to adore one _particular_ gesture that he often used in place of words.

"Red Steinhart?" Sparrow asked in astonishment, fingers resting over the strings of his beloved, lime-green electric guitar. "Funny, I feel the sudden need to write a song about your impending failure..."

An impossible challenge. Of course, I had a quick-fire excuse.

"Dude. Women only," I reasoned, flipping my palm up in gesture. "Duh."

Sparrow shook his head. "I didn't say girl. I just said person. You agreed, bro."

I sighed, running a hand through my golden hair in irritation. I was now stuck with this. It wouldn't be comfortable in the slightest, and I'd definitely have to explain myself should anyone catch me attempting this. Still, as a the heir to the Charm corporation dynasty, backing out of a dare was never an option.

Red made his way up to the barista, but I was quicker. "One usual, please. And another for the handsome young man to my left."

The barista was even quicker than usual in placing the two drinks on the counter. As I took out my wallet to pay, he just stared at the two cups. When I was done playing, a flashed him a cheeky grin, to which he calmly responded with a low glare and the middle finger of his right hand before walking toward the door.

I could practically feel a vein pop at my forehead, yet I wasn't going to give up so easily. Taking a set of colorful, fake flowers from a decorative pot beside the cash register, I caught up to the strange boy, holding the bouquet out to him. "Perhaps these flowers will persuade you? Like my adoration, they will certainly last forever-"

My words were cup off by the fell swoop of a Swiss army knife, which easily cut off the heads of the felt-and-plastic roses before Red opened the door and exited the cafe without a single moment of eye contact.

From the other side of the cafe, Sparrow laughed into the hand he'd clasped over his mouth. Even Hector broke out into a grin that he couldn't contain, sheepish as it was. I sent the annoyed gaze of my narrowed eyes their way, though it made no difference.

Of course, I wasn't done with my mission just yet. There were many things a Charm was fit to do, but washing dirty gym clothes was most certainly _not_ one of them. I had brought- see: sneaked- a few supplies out of the art room and was sitting a good number of tables away from Red, formulating my strategy. Most girls tended to appreciate my artistic talent, so I decided to give that method a try. To be fair, it was made easier by the fact that Red was such an interesting figure to capture on paper. Those red streaks melded so well in his black hair, making a sharp contrast with oceanic eyes-

Gah, what was I thinking? What incentive did I have to give him a poetic description? I didn't like this guy like that. That much was for certain. I just had to get this freaking dare over so that Sparrow would get off my case about his laundry.

I looked over the paper a few times, even asking Hector about how the piece appeared. He told me that it looked like the work of an elementary schooler, but that was such an overstatement that I was certain he had to be joking. When I was happy with how the picture looked- an adorable sketch of Red eating spaghetti, as he was doing at the time- I made my way over to his table. I didn't mean to exactly push the picture right into his line of vision, but I was just too happy with it to contain myself.

"I drew this just now. For you," I said, leaning into the table with a flirtatious grin. "Do I have charm or what?"

"No," Red replied bluntly, flipping the bird. "Fuck off." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Well, actually. I do. Because, you see, that's my name. Darian Charm," I called after the former Wonder Gardens resident, though by this point it was clear that he wasn't listening.

My attempt had failed once again. And yet, I had a final plan in mind.

I sent out my dog, Dragon. He was a fairly large dog with a coat as black as a shadow, though he could still look cute and pitiful when needed. I had commanded him so that he would come up to Red and start whining, hopefully using his big eyes to find his way right into the strange teen's heart. If that didn't work...well, Dragon would give Red some other reason to run after him.

Meanwhile, I waited in one of the fanciest restaurants in town, which I had entirely rented out for the afternoon. I sat at one of many tables topped with lit candles and rose vases.

It didn't take long for Dragon to enter with a shoe in his mouth, a markedly one-shoed Red scurrying behind in fury.

Dragon stopped under the table right at my feet, handing me the heart-red running shoe. Red spotted me, his shoulders dropping upon eye contact.

"Sorry about that," I apologized sincerely, holding out the shoe for the enraged teen in front of me to take. "I didn't think you would hear me out unless I was able to lure you in."

Red snatched the shoe and refused to look at me as he tied it, propping his foot up on the chair across from me to make the action simpler. "If I do this stupid meal with you, will you fuck off?" he muttered under his breath.

I nodded in response, putting my chin on the hand with my elbow propped on the table as I tried to look my most dashing. "I only wish for you to give me a chance, fair one."

Eye twitching, Red sat down, folding his arms on the white tablecloth. "Fine."

I cleared my throat. "So, what are your hobbies?"

"Croquet," Red answered shortly.

"Oh, and do you play for the team?"

"I'm the captain."

"...Right. Ah, favorite color?"

Red gestured to himself. "Three guesses."

"I guess that's fair enough. Um...tell me a bit about yourself, if you would."

"Male. Fifteen. Five-foot-two. Balanced caloric intake and expenditure. Family history of breast cancer and bipolar type two."

The shorter teen's fingers tapped against the table impatiently, edged by a red pair of fingerless gloves. I looked around the room as I thought, searching for a question that may actually lead to a conversation.

"What's your...family like?"

"They're back in Wonder Gardens." Red looked down as he said the statement, his eyes seeming to lose focus. There wasn't anything else that needed to be mentioned in that regard; that one sentence pretty much said it all.

"Oh."

"Yeah. _Oh_."

The awkward silence that had been threatening to overtake the room from the start had finally come on. As determined as I was, it simply seemed that nothing would stick to this guy. We even ended up eating in the same silence, the main sounds being the cooks' work in the kitchen and Dragon's panting from underneath the table. Still, I wasn't ready to give up. I had to see how far I could take this.

"What was it like back in Wonder Gardens?"

"It was amazing," Red responded blankly, a glint in his blue eyes. I grinned a bit, seeming to have found an anchor.

"How so?" I probed.

"It's like no place you've ever seen before," Red began. "It's like...it's like there's magic. It's a totally different game from this place. There's no right or wrong, just people having a great time and abandoning old logic that doesn't really make sense- you'd just _think_ it makes sense because it's been so deeply ingrained. You know, we had this game we'd play: the Swappersnatch Gyre. We'd go around taking things from people and hiding them elsewhere to make a big festivity of searching."

I raised an eyebrow. "Taking others' things? And everyone agreed to that?"

Red nodded. "We'd always end up with the same number things in the end, though not necessarily our own. We liked it that way."

"The rest of Everest must certainly be a change from that," I mused.

Red gave another nod. "Everything's different. Not only do I not know anyone with the exception of Mads and Cath, but there aren't any of the same rituals, so I don't know how I'm expected to bond with any of these people. You all seem completely without interactive events."

"We have events," I reasoned. "It's just that not everyone's always invited to them. I might be able to help you with that, if you want."

"Really? You'd do that, of all people?" Red asked. This time, it was his turn to quirk a brow.

"Well, of course," I said. "A Charm never lets an acquaintance go without company. My father told me that. A little vague, but I can get behind it."

Red blinked. "Well...thanks, I guess. You say you're a Charm?"

We continued talking for a while, even into the darker hours of the night. I told him about myself, he told me more about himself, and we slowly forged a connection of sorts. Eventually, we were alerted of the restaurant's closing. As we made our way toward the exit, our conversation neared a close, though there was still a topic I had to bring up.

"You know, Red, you seem like a pretty cool guy," I mused. "Do you think you might be able to...well, give me a chance?"

Red crossed his arms. "I don't know..."

"What's the matter?"

"Well, it's just that I've never been on a date before," Red admitted. "I wouldn't know what to do."

I smiled. "What about the dinner that we just had? That pretty much _was_ a date."

"But that was..." Red trailed off for a moment in realization. "...Quite nice."

"Maybe something you'd like to do again sometime?" I suggested, opening the door.

To my surprise, Red cupped my chin, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping onto the concrete outside. "Maybe, if you could keep this a secret? I'd rather not find myself with a reputation..."

I scratched the back of my head in slight disappointment. If I couldn't tell anyone, I would still be made to wash a particular pair of gym clothes. Nonetheless, I understood the weight of keeping this a secret. "Sure, yeah, of course."

The following Friday, I found myself washing Sparrow's dirty gym clothes right outside of the school building. It was absolutely disgusting, but I couldn't keep a certain former resident of Wonder Gardens out of my head the entire time. Even as Sparrow's song of victory ran through the air, I paid no heed. Instead, looking up, I spotted Red, who shot me a brief wink. Smiling more stupidly than sexily, I winked back.

I didn't consider this development to be out of the norm. I wasn't violating any traditions; Red and I both understood that our relationship would be casually brief, and eventually we would be made to mature into a pair of straight men with beautiful wives. However, for the moment, Red Steinhart and I had something beautiful going on.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, look. This story isn't over after all.<strong>

**After reading the EAH story collection _Once Upon a Time_****, I thought of this great headcanon for Darling Charming and just had to continue this AU. This chapter was supposed to be for Darling/Darla during the events of the short story "Dexter Charming and the Yellow-Eyed Changeling", but this idea for the relationship between Daring/Darian and Lizzie/Red just hit me and I had no choice but to go through with it. Therefore, Darling will be featured in the next chapter. I know that this chapter doesn't follow the plot of "Lizzie Heart's Fairytale First Date" precisely, as I took some creative liberties.**

**By no means is this tale meant to offend anyone regardless of viewpoint in regards to sexuality and gender identity, and by no means do my personal views reflect the mindset of any PoV characters.**

**EAH and the respective characters belong to Mattel. I created their "normal-verse" names.**

**Thank you for reading! R&R if your True Heart desires.**


	3. Darla's Role

Darla Charm

The expectations of the descendants of the Charm line appear to be split into two basic categories: male and female. These roles stretch back centuries, all the way to George Charm the first, who assisted in the founding of Everest alongside the Gregory Brothers and Eira Whitaker.

The males of our clan are meant to be a strong band of leaders who make difficult decisions and fight for their honor as well as chivalry. I could easily compare them to the Knights of the Round Table in their intended skill, fierceness, and kindness. They are the path-makers who strengthen bonds through physical encounters. The females, on the other hand, are a submissive collection of perfect ladies who follow their leaders and excel in relation to the men in their lives. I would best compare them to Stepford wives, perfectly docile in every way while entirely hollowed out inside. They are the home-makers who create their bonds through bouts of emotion and heartwarming gestures.

There is nothing I dislike more than this system- even more so given my situation.

In my dreams, I see a tween boy with near-white, platinum hair fashioned into a slight pompadour. He has a square face and wide shoulders along with an evident amount of developing muscle. He is curveless, the embodiment of the male form in the beginning stages of puberty. He would run around with his brothers, wielding a foam sword that he brandished as he headed to the expensively-furnished courtyard in order to fight the mighty dragon- which, in reality, was but a dog. He would wrestle with his brothers and fight alongside them on missions and wear a little tuxedo to fancy events.

In reality, I saw- no, I _was_- a tween boy with near-white, platinum hair that sprawled past my shoulder-blades, locks put in their place with the harsh metal of a curling iron. I had a round face and broad hips, the embodiment of a feminine form in the beginning stages of puberty. I would sit in the parlor, or perhaps under the night-lit gazebo in the expensively-furnished courtyard as my dear mother taught me what it meant to be a Charm woman. I would wear a little dress to fancy events and resist the urge to break the bathroom mirror whenever I caught a glimpse of myself and cry myself to sleep on some nights because I didn't have the guts to tell my parents that I didn't _want_ the lady-like form that I was wrongly born into.

Not much has changed since then. Replace "tween" with "teen" and the summary of my current situation has pretty much been explained.

Needless to say, the aforementioned "fancy events" have always been one of my least favorite things. On this day, I was attending one. Of course, I was stuffed into a rather decadent silver dress with light blue accents. Mother had really pulled out all of the stops by purchasing this frilly piece. It was neat, yet pretentious. It was high-quality, yet extremely uncomfortable. Right up the Charm family's alley, to say the very least.

The event warranting such an ornate hunk of silk, frills, and thread was none other than the annual family gathering. My eldest brother, Darian, was already shouting the news through the house, making certain that everyone was very well aware of the occasion. Right outside the door to my room, I heard him stop at my door.

"Family gathering?" I guessed before he managed to knock.

"Family gaaatheriiiing!" was the hammy response I received from the other end. Darian dashed off, likely to warn his next victim, our brother Dexter.

I rolled my eyes with a sigh and a slight grin. When my moving eyes caught sight of the mirror, my expression dropped to an absolute flat. I was the epitome of a female- high, puffy off-white hair reaching to my hips; big, blue eyes highlighted by too much make-up; high heels that I'd had the unfortunate pleasure of practically growing up alongside. And so many _curves_ to top it all off. This was truly the opposite of my ideal personal portrayal.

I bit my lower lip as I stared at my reflection, careful not to screw with my pale pink lipstick lest it require reapplication. My mother would almost certainly hold me back if my make-up was sub-par, possibly even offering to "fix" the whole ensemble by begrudgingly dragging me into the nearest room with a mirror. My hands gripped the edges of my powder blue vanity. As I found myself lost and confused in the reflection of my own body for the fifteen-billionth time, I heard a knock at my door.

"Darla? We're leaving," Dexter, my twin, announced.

I made my way over to the door, opening it and preparing to step out before backtracking.

"What is it?" Dexter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I forgot to compile a make-up bag," I admitted, hanging my head a bit- though not enough to damage the high-set hair that I had carefully fashioned. "Give me a minute."

"Darla, they're already about to leave-"

"Then think up an excuse," I determined, blinking when I realized it sounded more like a command than I had intended. "...Please? You know how mom gets when I don't bring extra beauty supplies."

My dear brother looked conflicted, his blue eyes seeming a bit skeptical behind a pair of black-framed glasses as he ran a hair through unshakably messy, dark brown hair. Sighing softly to myself, I flipped a lock of hair, clasping my hands together as I made a pleading face.

Dexter released a sigh of his own. "Fine."

"Thanks, bro," I said, watching as Dexter made his way down the hall. "Hurry, please? You're so slow."

With that, I nearly slammed the door shut in my rush to get a bag gathered with a proper color palette of make-up. I knew that it was wrong of me to use the feminine charms I didn't even really appreciate to convince one of my big brothers to do me a favor, and I was certain to beat myself up over that little encounter later, but for now I was in a rush.

It didn't take long to move from the courtyard where my immediately family gathered- consisting of my mother, father, and two brothers- to the airplane that would take us to Charmton. As ingrained as the Charms are in the history of Everest, Everest-based Charm family members are not the main branch. A few decades ago, Henry Charm had moved away, off to start his own city in a land oh-so far away. This resulted in Charmton, where a great portion of the clan resided.

There was nothing I would have liked more than to watch the aerial journey from Everest to Charmton. When I moved to the window seat, however, my mother took my hand, restraining me. "Certainly you wouldn't want a window seat, dear. You could get motion sick. Dexter will have that seat."

_No, _you'd_ get motion sick,_ I wanted to bite back. _I'd actually have a good time._ Realistically, I had little choice but to restrain myself as I shuffled into the seat in between my youngest elder brother and my mother. My gaze occasionally shifted over to the window, but to no avail. If I were to move in such a way that I could actually see the space outside of the window, my mother would have surely noticed and pulled me back into a more lady-like position. Good God, my legs and back were already getting cramped from sitting in such a stiff pose.

Even in the first class section of the plane, my family was getting stares from other passengers- particularly, my mother and I, clothed in layered dresses as opposed to the boys' embellished tuxedos and suits. It was very certain that the Charm line held a love of fashion from a few eras back, and my mother took this to an extreme. She had been encouraged to marriage into the Charm family ever since she was a child for many, many reasons, but the prospect of stepping back into a Renaissance Fair style was more than enough to woo her over.

"Darla, dear, don't chew on your lip. You'll ruin your lipstick."

Not even realizing that I had fallen into the action, I ceased, also not keeping track of my sullen and serious expression.

"What's wrong, Darla?"

"Nothing, mother," I replied, bringing a stiff smile onto my features. "I'm simply so anxious to attend this event."

My mother chuckled in a gentlewomanly fashion. "Patience is a virtue, dear, particularly for a Charm."

I could feel my twin's blue gaze briefly settle on me, and from the corner of my vision, I thought I saw a sympathetic look on his face. Through the years, he was the only one who had gathered some level information about my true personality. Of course, like everyone else, he wasn't aware of the fact that I was actually a guy. Nonetheless, I would occasionally wonder if a particular memory had escaped him.

I was only an elementary schooler at the time when my teacher had asked the class what we wanted to be when we grew up. I thought about the prospect for a good, long while, until finally a strike of inspiration came to me: I wanted to be a father as great as my own. When my brother saw the paper- he wanted to be a firefighter at the time, like most- he smiled and may have chuckled with a small comment on its uniqueness. When we turned into our projects, my teacher happily commented on each of the career pictures we had drawn along with the statement of what we wanted to be. When I turned in my project, however, the teacher merely returned a dead silence along with an uncomfortable nod of acknowledgement.

Apparently, the teacher had told my parents. My mother drew me aside after school. She took me into my room, beginning to braid my hair and clicking her tongue at my protests. "A true young lady would enjoy having her hair braided, Darla."

"Well, I don't," I had murmured in reply. Whether that meant _I don't want my hair braided_ or _I don't want to be a true young lady_, even I can't be certain.

My mother gave a small sigh. "Dear, I saw your career project today."

I smiled. "_Unique_, right? That's what Dexter called it. No other girls put that."

"You can't be a father, darling," my mother reasoned.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a girl," my mother pointed out. Finishing up my hair with expert speed, she turned me around to kiss my forehead. "Don't worry, Darla. You'll make a great mother."

_But I don't want to be a mother. I want to be a father._ What would have happened if I had spoken that phrase? Looking back on it, I wish I had. I always end up wishing I'd leaped up at the slightest opportunity to tell _anyone_ about who I really was and am. By now, was it too late? Was it too late for me to admit that I hated this body- this _lifestyle_- that some cosmic figure had carelessly crammed me into?

Trust me, I'm always up for the idea that most or all of God's challenges tend to mean something. But in this matter, I just can't help thinking that I'm failing in a spectacular manner.

I doubted my twin brother recalled the career incident, but it was likely still solid in my mother's mind. Honestly, it was hard to tell if she was getting stricter because I was maturing, or if she'd tightened her grip after pulling me aside on that one day nearly ten years ago.

Eventually, we all exited the plane and found one of the Charmton Charms' limousines waiting for us. The limousine ride was equally stiff and uncomfortable, as was every ride I'd ever taken alongside my mother regardless of the amount of space in the vehicle.

When we arrived, my mother almost immediately wafted me over to a gaggle of lovely Charm girls, most of them cousins of the first or second degree. Immediately, I envied my twin brother, who was unassumingly leaning against a wall without any requirement to engage in high-class conversation with any of a dozen tradition-embracing, girly relatives.

"I would like all young ladies here to come to me, if you would," called out grandmother Alexandra, matriarch of the Charm corporation dynasty. She tapped her glass cup with a spoon held by a delicate but accurate hand, and all of Charm girls- plus myself- obeyed. We were drawn to one end of the dance hall, most eagerly awaiting Alexandra's instructions. Personally, I found the top side of my shoe more interesting than anything that my grandmother had to say.

"My beautiful girls! We are going to have some fun today!" Alexandra announced, holding out her chalice for a moment in a gesture of high-class excitement. I dared to resist the continuing urge to eye the shiny, spotless surface of my scratchy, sweltering heels for the moment, looking to grandmother Alexandra. "Today, we will be playing hide-and-go-rescue. We shall be hiding, and our dashing men shall rescue us!"

I stifled an oncoming groan and kept my posture, my blue gaze dropping back down. In disappointment, I heard most of the other girls squeal happily.

Needless to say, fancy events have always been one of my least favorite things. Family gatherings ranked even higher on that list.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter is loosely based on the chapters "Dexter Charming and the Yellow-Eyed Changeling" and "Darling Charming and the Razor Eel" from <em>Once Upon a Time: A Story Collection<em>. I didn't want to follow the entire plot of either since Darling's adventure is already written and I thought it would begin to feel repetitive in regards to the book. Anyway, here is my AU portrayal of Darling Charming/Darla Charm based on what I've seen of the character thus far. I took note of the fact that, so far, I didn't have a closeted transgender character passing as their birth-assigned gender(one may argue that Cerise's counterpart, Char Lune, is also closeted, but Char isn't quite transgender and isn't quite trying to pass as the gender assigned to xir at birth). When I received news of Darling's situation, I felt the absolute need to incorporate this character and give my AU interpretation of this internal/external conflict. This is only an introduction to the character of Darla(who is named such out-of-context only because he hasn't chosen an official male name for himself), whose EAH canon counterpart will hopefully appear in more material and possibly even webisodes soon enough to allow for more development regarding this awesome character.**

**Speaking of Char: guess which episode the next chapter will be based on. No, not that one. The other one.**

**For the record, most of these chapters will not be in chronological order and will be loosely based on chapters and webisodes in the canon Ever After High books and webseries. This particular chapter(and the chapters that inspired it) take place shortly before the start of the school year.**

**By no means is this tale meant to offend anyone regardless of viewpoint in regards to sexuality and gender identity, and by no means do my personal views reflect on the mindset of any PoV characters.**

**EAH and the respective characters belong to Mattel. I created their "normal-verse" names.**

**Thank you for reading! R&R if your True Heart desires.**


	4. Char's Costume

Char Lune

Hiding half of your gender isn't easy, regardless of how androgynous you appear. Being a genderfluid person in the close-minded city of Everest has led me to publicly present myself with only the gender I am most commonly comfortable with, and while it seems to work, it sometimes steps out of my comfort zone. To be fair, I have a bit of a system worked out: at school, I'm always a girl. At home, I'm usually whatever else I see fit. These contexts tend to match with my feelings rather well. It's on days that I just don't feel like being a girl at all that the _real_ test of my endurance comes along.

Of course, I can't just be the student with a _single_ secret. Every time I see my science teacher, Miss Wolfe, I am reminded of the second fact I must keep hidden. See, I was raised by my single mother, Scarlet Lune. For the longest time, I had no clue as to who my father was. When I was about eleven or twelve, mom noticed that my mental and emotional gender was developing differently than that of "other boys" my age. She decided that was a good time to introduce me to her secret girlfriend, Barbara Wolfe: the biological provider of my "paternal" genetics as well as a trans female who kept very hush about her birth-assigned gender. Therefore, I truly had two mothers.

There's always been a lot of weight on my shoulders to keep these aspects of myself hidden. Just by my parents' situation and my resulting birth, I was "non-traditional". But even I couldn't have just been "normal"- no, I was a boy, and a girl, and sometimes both or even none at all. Each secret was a landmine. If people knew that Miss Wolfe was my biological second parent, her origins would be taken from the closet and my mother's sexuality would be revealed. My Wolfe mother probably wouldn't be able to keep her job at the school, and my Lune mother's relationship with her tight-knit family would turn to shambles. On the other hand, if people were to figure out that I was genderfluid...well, heaven knows what would happen to my otherwise comfortably insignificant reputation. The only exceptions to my vow of secret-keeping seemed to be my friend Raven Quinn- who wouldn't spill my secret in a million years- and resident class trickster Cathy Chess- who actually did try to out me at one point, though that's a story for another day.

For now, I'll give a recount of the day that I "came out" halfway.

At the end of school, I was at my locker, removing the final few supplies I had left to gather and take home. In my rush to get out and switch into a nice set of distinctly male clothing- sans make-up and falsies- in the comfort of my own home for the weekend, I nearly missed the greeting of my friend Raven. Looking to a pale face framed by purple-streaked hair, I blinked. "Uh, hey, Raven."

"Are you coming to Maddie's Halloween party tonight?" Raven asked.

I looked down at the invitation I had received from the bubbly Hatt girl earlier in the week. For whatever reason, it had still been crammed into the back of my locker, just itching for Friday to come around so that it could find its way right into my hands. "O-oh. Um, I don't know about that," I said, looking around as the volume of my voice went low. "I mean, I don't really have a costume picked out, and I've kind of been in a guy mood all day..."

"Oh. Okay," Raven replied, rubbing her arm. Though she still smiled, I could see a disappointed glint in her eye.

"Sorry, Raven," I apologized with a frown, "but you know how important this secret is."

Raven nodded. "True, but...do you ever plan on coming out?"

"I couldn't. My family...my mothers..."

"Not about that," Raven elaborated. "I understand the importance of that secret. I mean..._your_ secret. You should be able to tell people what you really are."

My hand unconsciously tugged on the hood of my red jacket, pulling the cloth further over my head. "I...mean...I don't know..."

"Maybe you could dress up in a boy's costume at the party. I think it would be the perfect opportunity," Raven suggested, scratching her head after a moment. "Only if you want to. I mean, I wouldn't want to pressure you."

I closed my locker, heaving a cumbersome backpack over my shoulder. "You know, I might actually consider that. Right now, though, I just want to get home. Talk to you later?"

"Yeah. See you later," Raven replied, giving me a mutual wave as we departed.

At home, I transformed into how I felt. Gone were the falsies, the eyeliner, the patterned dress, and the high-heeled booties. In came the faded jeans, the open flannel jacket, the flat-chested Three Werewolf Moon t-shirt, and the leather belt. Now, I was relaxed. I was at peace. My presentation had realigned to match my markedly boyish mentality of the moment being.

Amidst getting a start on weekend homework, I found my gravel-gray eyes occasionally glimpsing over at Maddie's party invitation. Apparently, it was set to be held at Grove Park, which rested on the outskirts of Wonder Gardens. It was the only part of that particular neighborhood that hadn't been quarantined after the place had experienced a terrible outbreak of a disease our city's doctors are still vehemently looking to cure. Everyone knew that Wonder Gardens had always been a little "off", almost acting as its own society within Everest. If there was ever a place to hold a crazy costume party, Grove Park was it.

Raven wasn't the only one who had asked if I was going to the party. Cedra, one of my best friends, had already inquired, as had Maddie herself, just to name a couple. Of course, I had made up an excuse each time. _I have a lot of chores to do. My mom wants me to go see a movie with her. I don't celebrate Hallowe'en._

Not celebrate Hallowe'en? That one had been an outright lie. Hallowe'en was one of my favorite holidays- heck, I even insisted upon using the old-fashioned spelling and pronunciation. Nonetheless, none of the others had been able to persuade me to attend the party.

...With the exception, somehow, of Raven. After Raven had come out as transsexual a few weeks ago, the school's students had really started to show their true colors between those accepting of nontraditional roles, those intolerant to the thought, and those who _were_ considered nontraditional themselves. The school already knew that I was in support of freedom in terms of sexuality and gender expression, but admitting my own true gender would be a _huge_ step up from that.

Looking back down to my blank homework assignment, I finally gave up on the whole thing, my mind occupied elsewhere. Putting my pencil down, I passed the living room and made my way into the garage. After grabbing an old pair of wolf ears I wore last Hallowe'en, I made sure my phone was still in my pocket, slapped on a pair of leather boots, and headed out into the graying afternoon.

Whenever I passed by an early trick-or-treater, I tensed up, wondering whether or not they knew me. The looks on the kids' faces reminded me of how intimidating I looked without my female appearance; then again, I didn't look incredibly cuddly even as a girl. I didn't really look to be in much of a costume, as I hadn't changed my clothes from what I had put on after school and had only added a fake pair of furry, gray animal ears.

At the entrance of Grove Park, I was greeted by a familiar silhouette sitting atop the gate. Fuzzy hair pulled into a ponytail was topped with a tiny top hat, high heels edged with spirals. "Maddie?" I asked, trying to get a better look at my friend. "I figured you'd be at the center of the party action."

A voice that was distinctly not Maddie's let out a chuckle. "Oh, she is, Wolfgirl Jack," the figure said hopping down beside me. Looking down, I saw a markedly catty face adorned by a signature, wicked grin. Catherine Chess may have put on one of the most convincing Maddie-disguises I'd seen in a while, but she was still unmistakable. Despite a raised eyebrow, the girl seemed unconcerned by my change of appearance, which was likely due to the fact that she was already aware of my secret. "Er...Wolfboy. Whatever. By the way, there was a theme. Did you forget? _Tea party-esque costume recommended?_ Though I wouldn't be surprised if this was the kind of thing you normal Everestians would wear to a tea party..."

"Oh, Cathy," I murmured. "I thought you were-"

"Maddie? I know."

"Say, why are all of you Wonder Gardens kids the same height, anyway?"

"Evolution, doggie-dude. Now get in there or don't, yeah?"

Discomforted by Cathy's presence as well as the sudden chill that spiked the cool air, I cupped my elbows in my hands, crossing my arms. I proceeded to make my way up to the large, roofed platform in the center of the park, where the main festivities appeared to be held. In the center was a long table covered in food and drinks in complex, eclectic arrangements. Dancers surrounded a blaring radio that pumped out an electronic tune. The most prominent among their ranks were Briana Beaumont; Apple Whitaker; Cedra; and, of course, Maddie...who was disguised as Cathy, evidently. All were dressed in cute tea party attire, reminiscent of _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ with tiny hats and temporary hair streaks.

As I stepped out of the dark path up to the platform and into the colorful light that splayed across it, several heads turned. I felt like I was stuck in a spotlight. There was more pressure and heat building under the surface of my skin than the time my middle school band teacher had made me come up to the front of the class and sing the national anthem as part of a "group-building activity". _I can't sing, Mr. Hernandez. I sound too much like a boy, and I don't want to feel like a boy right now..._

Beyond hushed comments, Maddie was the first to address me directly.

"Char, I can't believe it! You decided to crossdress for your costume? I love it!"

A few of my friends came up to me, along with a few students who were just curious. I scratched the back of my head, nails digging into lengthy hair as my cheeks flooded with scarlet.

"Whoa! Your outfit seems so real," Cedra commented. "As a guy, I mean. Not so much as a werewolf."

"Did you do a bind job?" Blondie asked, looking to my shirt for a moment. "Aren't those really painful?"

In the midst of it, I looked over to Raven, who shot me an apologetic grin. I returned a sheepish expression of my own, along with a slight shrug.

Perhaps I should have corrected them. Perhaps, on that night, I should have really 'come out' instead of letting the misunderstanding reign. Nonetheless, I felt that I had thoroughly expressed myself as much as I was willing to risk, at least for the evening. Scrubbing thoughts of doubt from my head, I headed further into the platform as I answered a few of my friends' questions, fudging in a few select details. For once, I was certain that I was portraying myself exactly how I felt at that moment. And for once, I was more than ready to party.

* * *

><p><strong>Here it is: Char's introductory PoV chapter. Honestly, Cerise isn't one of my favorite characters- not that I particularly dislike her- but she does have a very interesting situation that I thought could be fashioned into something possibly even more complex in this AU. I did have to split the secret into two separate secrets for the purpose of this AU, which I'm hoping isn't a total downer to anyone reading. This chapter is mainly based on Maddie's Hat-Tastic Party.<strong>

**By no means is this tale meant to offend anyone regardless of viewpoint in regards to sexuality and gender identity, and by no means do my personal views reflect the mindset of any PoV characters.**

**EAH and the respective characters belong to Mattel. I created their "normal-verse" names.**

**Thank you for reading! R&R if your True Heart desires.**


	5. Red's Lovebird

Red Steinhart

The morning after that wicked holiday party, I woke up with the joy of a major headache and a busted lip. I would say that I woke up in my home, but I can't, as I hadn't exactly lived in what I would consider to be a "home" for a good number of months. Instead, I was in my temporary bed in the back of the Hatt Family Tea Shop, courtesy of my housemates, Mads and Cath.

The events of last night were fuzzy, and Cath had to fill me in on most of it. What I could recall was that I had gone through with the Wonder Gardens tradition of dressing up as someone else on Halloween. Because Mads and Cath were already going as each other, I had little choice but to pick out a stranger. Naturally, I went with one of my classmates: Raven Quinn.

I took the care of putting on a black-and-purple wig along with a small, self-tailored, purple dress and assorted accessories. Granted, the wig may have been a witch's wig, as I couldn't exactly find a flattering wig in the right colors, but I brushed it out and fixed it up within the realm of my capabilities. And sure, I may have obviously still looked like a guy. In the spirit of Wonder Gardens- God, I missed that place- I really didn't think anything of it.

According to Cath, Raven's friends didn't take kindly to the costume I had worked so laboriously on. Maybe it was because Raven was already going as herself, and there aren't supposed to be two of the same person at the same party. I mean, that's just embarrassing. Whatever the cause, a girl by the name of Huntelle Hunter had come up to me with an accusatory tone and words that no one could remember. Naturally, I responded with the only defense mechanism my mother had parted onto me: the flipped bird.

"Most Everestians don't take kindly to that gesture," Cath had interjected into her recount of the prior night's events.

Apparently, Huntelle had socked me in the face after that. Weak as I am, I passed out, and there I was the next morning, holding ice up to my face with one hand and the notebook my mother had given me with the other. The only other part of that night I remembered was Darian's costume, and how good he looked as a tea party guest. Oh, how I had longed to speak to him in public. I would have happily shared my teapot with him any day of the week.

"But why were they so ticked at me in particular?" I had asked as I snapped out of my Darian-induced, mental trance. My gaze flicked over to Mads as my other fellow housemate entered the room.

Mads made a tutting noise as she went over to the tea machine. "They got all grumbly-gooked because Raven didn't know! That's the kind of thing that trouble-ticks sensible people, as it turns out."

Cath shook her head. "I don't think it's just that," she replied. "See, Raven's trans, so her friends probably got in a hissy-fit because you were trying to look like her without really 'passing'."

I blinked. "I...don't get it," I muttered. "Is this a scolding? Are you trying to scold the son of the neighborhood committee leader of Wonder Gardens?"

"Oh, no, _your highness_," Cath said, a twinge of sarcasm evident in her voice. "But it's either that, or they were upset because there were two Ravens and there's not supposed to be two of somebody showing up to the same party. Talk about an embarrassment."

"See, that's what I was thinking," I agreed, snapping my fingers.

Cath smiled- as she almost always did- and leaned closer. "You know, for the record, I thought your costume was _per_fect," she added softly. She put her hand on top of mine, which was now pressed against the notebook resting atop the sheets of the bed.

"Ah, thanks," I replied, slowly pulling my hand away. I had put quite the effort into that get-up. And yet, even though none of the non-Wonder-Gardeners had taken part in the swapping tradition, I knew inwardly that my costume wasn't "perfect". Heck, even Darian looked better in the hardly tea-party-befitting suit that I could tell he had thrown on at the last minute. Of course, Darian looked great in just about anything.

Cath's brows furrowed. "Okay, what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've been acting different lately. Less focused. Spending more time elsewhere. You haven't even thrown out a single cuss word throughout this conversation. I mean, I'm cool with it; I'm just curious about where my brother from another mother keeps sneaking off to. You catching a little lovebird?"

My head turned away slightly as I mumbled out a sheepish confirmation that really wasn't befitting of a committee leader's progeny.

"Really? Who?" My friend asked, her indigo eyes lighting up.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"No," Cath said flatly. At my unsettled expression, she rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course. I solemnly swear not to let this upcoming cat out of the bag," she pledged half-jokingly, lifting her right hand for good measure. I took a deep breath in response, putting my hand beside my mouth and lowering my voice so that Mads wouldn't potentially overhear any more of our conversation.

"...Darian Charm."

"_The_ Darian Charm? Red, have you lost your head?" Cath asked me, more than loud enough for Mads to catch it. "You know what kind of person he is, right?"

I shook my head. "Of course not, Cath! I mean, I know he has a 'reputation' as a two-faced womanizer, but I really think he gets me," I replied, crossing my arms.

"Maybe that punch to the face got to your brain..."

I rolled my eyes at my friend's denial, finding her lack of acceptance rather rude. "I'm _fine_, Cath. He's just misunderstood. Like me. And now we're misunderstood together. If you don't like it, you can go hang out with someone you do like."

Cath shot me a sarcastic grin. "As you wish, your majesty." In moments, she had slid out of the room, taking her candy purple pigtails and consistent smile with her.

The next day, I found myself happily lost in the croquet field, thinking once again about Darian. I had even ended up crouched over a patch of flowers, barely managing to resist the temptation to pluck one up for an invigorating round of _loves me, loves me not_. It was so simple to picture spending time with Darian in the field, gently guiding his arms as I taught him how to play the best sport in the world. Afterward, we would talk the afternoon away until we both sheepishly realized that there was still homework to be done. Oh, and maybe after that, a study date would be involved. With _kissing_.

Pah, not that the setting really mattered all that much. All that would matter is that Darian and I would be together, learning more about each other and possibly _kissing_. Damn, I was such a sap for romance and hadn't even realized it until this point.

Hearing the light crunching of fall grass beneath footsteps, I turned my head, still smiling lightly with the feelings I hadn't experienced prior to a couple of weeks ago. Cath was approaching.

"Oh! Hey, Red," Cath greeted. "Ah, can we talk? I'm not up for arguing."

I sighed. "And neither am I. I just want to keep being, well, happy."

"Darian won't keep you happy for long, Red," Cath told me, kneeling beside me in front of the flower patch, "and I think you know it."

My jubilant expression was swiftly replaced with indignity. "This again? Darian really cares about this relationship, Cath!"

"All Darian cares about is himself!"

"Fuck off!"

For whatever reason, Cath smiled at the exclamation. "Let's have a soul siblings night."

I blinked in confusion, though I was also more than happy to get off of the previous topic. "Where did you have in mind?"

"Multiplex Theater. Showtime's at eight."

"Okay," I replied as blankly as ever, still feeling a bit numb and confused by the sudden turn of the discussion.

With that, Cath bounded away. Well, it wasn't quite a _bound_, though the _length_ of her stride matched the description. The overall style was more like slinking away, perhaps even slithering into the abyss of the school grounds, away from the croquet field.

To be fair, it wasn't just a croquet field, I suppose. It was set firmly on the edge of Grove Park, making it the only part of Wonder Gardens that wasn't totally tainted. I always made sure to take good care of it, and it was really something I could stand to take pride in. Perhaps that was only one reason as to why I would have been far too eager to bring Darian over.

It seemed that my mind always managed to land on that boy these days. What would the others think of me if they were privy to my torrid, fanciful state? How much could I even care?

Maybe I could have managed to focus a slight portion of my mind on an alternative matter. Cath and I were watching a movie tonight. I had no idea what the movie was, but with Cath's preferences being similar to mine, it had to be a good one. Regardless of the film at hand, spending time with Cath would probably be good for me. Maybe not as uplifting as spending time with Darian, particularly since she was so non-supportive in the matter- oh, Hell. There he was again, nestled into the corner of my mind and waiting to pop out into a full-blown thought. Maybe it was just time for me to stop keeping my mind on something else and give in for the moment at hand.

I dropped back lightly into the flowers, looking up at the sky. Oddly enough, I was smiling.

That night, I met up with Cath outside of the Multiplex Theatre. The place was just filled to the brim. I was almost surprised that Cath and I had the chance to get tickets. _Don't be surprised,_ I had told myself. _You're a neighborhood committee leader's son. They wouldn't be able to tell it to your face if they were out of movie tickets._

Of course, that would likely have been out of fear more than anything, not that I had a problem with that. My mother had gotten quite a fierce reputation among citizens of Everest, and she had more than happily passed that onto me.

Cath had gone to get seats, so I was in the line for the concession stand on snack-and-drink duty. Running said stand, as it turned out, was none other than...whats-his-face. I had trouble recalling his name at the moment, but the bright pink tuft of hair on his head and the lipstick heart were incredibly recognizable features. Paired with heart-shaped golden accessories all over the place and the generally feminine aspects of his body language despite his masculine physique, I was less astounded by the guy's looks than I was with the fact that I hardly recalled him whatsoever. Judging by his perceived age, he was most certainly a schoolmate.

"Hello, how may I he- oh hey, Red," the guy greeted with a grin.

"Yeah, hey...guy," I said with a cocked brow.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't go with 'guy' so much as just, like, 'person', or something," the person started, only to see my demeanor consistently dwindling in both patience and intrigue. "I mean, 'guy' works, too. I'm C.A., remember? From Algebra Two?"

"Oh, right," I said with only a slight portion of recollection. "Didn't expect you to be working here. Two large cokes, by the way."

"Well, you know. Got to start somewhere while your internship applications are getting processed," C.A. replied as he got started on the order, talking over his shoulder at some points.

"Wow. Someone's really getting a head start."

C.A. laughed, scratching the back of his head. "I guess so," he said as he put the drinks on the counter, sorting my money into the register. "Uh, there's something I kind of wanted to mention, just by the by." When he added that part, the person lowered his voice quite a bit, making his voice inaudible to just about anyone but me. "I know about you and Darian-"

"Oh, fuck," I muttered.

"Wait, don't worry. I won't tell anyone," C.A. promised. "I just think you should know that Darian is-"

"We have been waiting for a good long while now, Mr. Concession-Man!" A female voice with a thick, German accent droned from behind me.

"_Ja_! We want our goodies," another voice chimed in.

"I'll be getting out to the film room, now," I announced rather awkwardly as I looked off to the side. I then proceeded to practically sprint all the way to Show Room 6. I didn't even wait long enough for the ticket-taker to give back my back-up ticket, opting to run at the top of my capabilities instead- without dropping this drinks, of course. I was able to enter just before the trailers started- which was just great, because trailers were just great- and made my way up to the place where Cath was gesturing from her seat.

"Here you go, Cath," I whispered, handing her one of the drinks.

"Thanks, Red- _whoops_!" With that, the drink fell from Cath's hand, landing on the people in from of her.

That was strange. Cath was usually so smooth and balanced with things. That damn cup must have been faulty. What a waste of a drink. Surely, there'd be some sort of political action to take for a faulty cup that would spill that much of my beloved friend's drink.

"The Hell?!"

Wait. That was a familiar voice. I looked into the row in front of mine and Cath's. There sat Darian Charm, right in front of Cath. His usually unscathed, well-styled, voluminous, golden hair was sopping wet with sticky soda. His iconic Letterman jacket wasn't in much better condition. I briefly considered pursuing further political action for that faulty cup having the nerve to spill itself all over my picture-perfect secret boyfriend. Then I looked to the right of him.

There, in the seat directly in front of my own, sat a girl with white streaks running through her wavy black hair. Amber eyes looked up at me, seeming as puzzled as I was. Destiny Swaim, my worst enemy- and, all too frequently, my classmate- was sitting right there. Next to Darian. On a date with him?

There had to be another explanation. There _had_ to be. My frantic, hopeful rationalities didn't prevent my jaw from dropping.

"Darian? Destiny?!"

"Red?!" Darian asked. Right then and there, his guiltily shocked expression betrayed it all. He was caught in the act.

I was about to call him out. I was about to drag him into a private place and suggest that he explain himself. I was about to flip him off. I was about to tell him and his pretty little date to go screw themselves in so many words.

No, actually. I wasn't. I couldn't do any of those things and run away from the whole situation at the same time, after all.

My mind flooded with questions. Trying to answer them just made things worse.

_What just happened?_

_He stopped taking you seriously, duh._

_How could I be so stupid?_

_Because you forced yourself into that ugly little lovestruck state, you idiot._

_Is Destiny that much better than I am?_

_Of course she is, dude. Pro tip: she's a girl. You aren't. Any sane guy would clearly pick a pretty, feminine girl over you._

After stumbling blindly across the general vicinity, I found myself leaning against one of the bridges leading to Everest High. I put my face in my hands, slumping down into a miserable excuse for a sitting position. Red hot blood raged deep in my veins, shooting up into every speck of me until I felt like I was about to be set ablaze.

_Did Cath _know_ about all of this?_

That was one question I had to stop myself from answering intuitively. If I tried, I was certain that my blood vessels would burst.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Sorry it took a while to get this one out. I just got over a plagiarist attack- which I recently 'won', relatively speaking, so expect updates on all of my stories as a general whole to be at least somewhat more frequent than as of late. <strong>**Also, I would like to apologize for the cliffhanger-esque finish. This chapter has just gone on long enough for now, methinks. Parts of this chapter were loosely based on Kitty Cheshire's bookmark diary.**

**By no means is this tale meant to offend anyone regardless of viewpoint in regards to sexuality and gender identity, and by no means do my personal views reflect the mindset of any PoV characters.**

**EAH and the respective characters belong to Mattel. I created their "normal-verse" names.**

**Thank you for reading! R&R if your True Heart desires.**

**P.S.: Want to have a say in the continuation of this tale? Check out my profile! Polls will occasionally be held there that will help influence the course of the story.**


End file.
